Williamsburg man receives 15 years for meth conspiracy

Williamsburg man receives 15 years for meth conspiracy

A Williamsburg man was sentenced in federal court Thursday for his role in a conspiracy to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine.

U.S. District Judge Nanette K. Laughrey sentenced David Wayne Forbis, 51, to 15 years and eight months in federal prison without parole.

Don Ledford, a public affairs officer with the U.S. Attorney's Office, said Forbis pled guilty to count one in the federal indictment - which included four other co-defendents - which he said was conspiracy to manufacture and distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.

The maximum sentence for that charge is life in prison. The minimum sentence is 10 years.

According to Forbis' plea agreement, he was taken into custody on Jan. 21, 2004, by the Columbia Police Department at the Day's Inn in Columbia.

"During a search of Forbis' pocket, officers recovered a bag containing a small amount of material that was determined to contain a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine, weighing 3 grams," the plea agreement states. "...On March 16, 2005, members of the MUSTANG drug task force served a search warrant at Forbis' residence. During the search, officers recovered numerous items used to produce methamphetamine, including numerous containers containing liquids. Representative samples taken of these liquids were determined to contain methamphetamine."

Coffee filters containing meth residue also were found during the search of Forbis' home.

In May 2005, Boone County Sheriff's deputies spotted Forbis' van parked near the Katy Trail in Huntsdale. A subsequent search of the vehicle yielded a Pepto Bismol bottle containing baggies and a baggie with a light brown powdery substance in his right pants pocket. Another baggy containing a white powder substance was found in his shirt pocket. The materials later were found to contain methamphetamine with a total weight of approximately 6 grams. A footlocker in the van was found to contain "items consistent with methamphetamine production, including rubber tubing, a lithium battery, sulfuric acid and butane fuel."

"Forbis stipulates and agrees that, from an unknown date, but at least as early as on or about Nov. 16, 2003, and continuing to on or about May 24, 2005 ... he did knowingly and intentionally combine, conspire, confederate and agree with other persons ... to knowingly and intentionally manufacture and distribute (methamphetamine)."

The plea agreement further mentions a decision by the attorney's office to forego charging Forbis for being a fugitive in possession of a firearm, in connection with an investigation in July 2009 in exchange for his guilty plea.